At UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing, each of our degree programs is built upon clear end-of-program outcomes that articulate what graduates are prepared to know and do at the completion of their studies. These outcomes are intentionally designed to align with the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, which serve as the national framework for preparing nurses at all levels of professional practice.
The AACN Essentials outline 10 domains of nursing practice and education. Our program outcomes are mapped directly to these domains to ensure that graduates demonstrate competency across the full spectrum of professional nursing.
This alignment guarantees that:
Baccalaureate graduates enter the profession with the foundational knowledge, skills, and professional identity required to provide safe, evidence-based, and equitable care.
Master’s graduates are prepared to advance nursing practice, assume leadership roles, and contribute to system-level improvement and innovation.
Doctoral graduates are equipped to transform care, generate new knowledge, and lead within complex health systems.
By integrating the AACN Essentials throughout our curricula, Carolina Nursing ensures that our graduates not only meet national standards for nursing education but are also prepared to excel in practice environments, shape the future of health care, and advance health for all.
| BSN | MSN | DNP | AACN Domain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Integrate foundational nursing knowledge, theories, and scientific principles to provide safe and effective care across diverse healthcare settings. | 1. Synthesize advanced nursing theories, research, and scientific principles to develop innovative solutions for complex healthcare challenges. | 1. Disseminate knowledge through the integration of evidence-based research, clinical expertise, and patient-centered care to address complex health challenges. | Knowledge for Nursing Practice |
| 2. Apply clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice to person-centered care, addressing the unique needs, values, and preferences of individuals and populations. | 2. Plan evidence-based, person-centered care to address health disparities and optimize patient outcomes across diverse populations. | 2. Design innovative models of person-centered care that address diverse patient needs and improve health outcomes on an individual and systemic level. | Person-Centered Care |
| 3. Implement nursing interventions that promote health equity and prevent disease, addressing social drivers of health using population-based health data. | 3. Evaluate social, economic, and environmental determinants of health to lead population-focused interventions and policy development. | 3. Synthesize epidemiological, biostatistical, and social determinants of health data to design large-scale interventions that reduce health disparities and promote equitable care delivery. | Population Health |
| 4. Examine current research and quality improvement initiatives to enhance nursing practice and contribute to improved patient outcomes. | 4. Appraise scientific research into clinical practice to improve patient care and healthcare systems. | 4. Translate nursing research into practice by designing evidence-based protocols, leading quality improvement initiatives, and influencing national healthcare standards. | Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline |
| 5. Demonstrate principles of quality and safety that enhance nursing care across populations and minimize harm. | 5. Evaluate quality improvement and patient safety initiatives using data analytics, healthcare informatics, and interdisciplinary collaboration. | 5. Develop quality improvement initiatives to enhance safety, efficiency, and patient-centered outcomes at the organizational level. | Quality and Safety |
| 6. Apply leadership and advocacy skills within interdisciplinary healthcare teams to coordinate and optimize person-centered care. | 6. Collaborate with interprofessional teams to drive innovation, improve healthcare outcomes, and promote collaborative practice. | 6. Plan interprofessional collaborations to develop healthcare solutions, drive policy changes, and advance team-based patient care models. | Interprofessional Partnerships |
| 7. Examine healthcare systems, policies, and financial structures to determine their impact on nursing practice and care delivery. | 7. Analyze healthcare policies, organizational structures, and financial models to advocate for ethical and equitable healthcare delivery. | 7. Integrate business, economic, and policy principles into healthcare delivery systems to drive sustainable, ethical, and effective healthcare practices. | Systems-Based Practice |
| 8. Employ digital health technologies and informatics to support decision-making, safety in care delivery, and care coordination. | 8. Integrate healthcare informatics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to optimize clinical decision-making and patient care. | 8. Develop advanced healthcare informatics, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to transform clinical practice and healthcare decision-making. | Informatics and Healthcare Technologies |
| 9. Demonstrate ethical and legal principles and behaviors to engage in reflective practice, advocate for social justice, uphold patient rights and confidentiality, and promote professional identity. | 9. Prioritize ethical, legal, and professional nursing standards that lead to transformative change in healthcare practice and policy. | 9. Transform nursing practice and policy by upholding the highest ethical, legal, and professional standards and mentoring future generations of nurses. | Professionalism |
| 10. Engage in lifelong learning, reflective practice, and leadership development to continuously enhance nursing competence in evolving healthcare environments. | 10. Demonstrate leadership and professionalism by engaging in continuous self-reflection, fostering resilience and well-being, and advancing nursing practice. | 10. Cultivate lifelong professional development, mentorship, and leadership skills to shape the future of nursing and healthcare innovation. | Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development |